1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an elastic member and vibration absorption apparatus for a refrigerator compressor, and more particularly, to an elastic member and vibration absorption apparatus having an improved performance, which is suitable for a compressor of a refrigerator which is capable of preventing the vibration generated due to the compressor from being transmitted to other elements or a whole of the refrigerator.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, a refrigerator is an apparatus for maintaining foods for a long time period in a fresh and good state. The inside of the refrigerator is always kept below a predetermined temperature by the compressor of the refrigerator.
The compressor is an apparatus for compressing refrigerant to be in a high temperature/high pressure. While the compressor operates, the vibration continues to be generated from the compressor. The generated vibration is transmitted to other elements of the refrigerator connected to the compressor without damping, so that a noisy vibration is generated from the whole of the refrigerator.
In order to prevent this phenomenon, an elastic member is installed between the compressor of the refrigerator and a base pan for supporting the compressor to attenuate a transmittance of the vibration.
Referring to FIG. 1, a compressor C is installed in the refrigerator machinery room and the compressor is mounted on the vibration absorption apparatus with a foot of the compressor.
The vibration absorption apparatus includes an elastic member on which the compressor is mounted, a base pan, a stand and a stopper.
The elastic member is provided with a hollow passing through in an axis and attenuates the vibration generated when the compressor is operated.
The base pan is installed on a bottom of the refrigerator machinery room to support the elastic member.
The stand extends from the base pan and is installed passing through the hollow of the elastic member so that the elastic member is not bent nor escaped.
The stopper is installed on the upper portion of the stand so as to compress the upper portion of the elastic member and prevents the elastic member from being escaped from the base pan.
Referring to the structure described above, the vibration generated from the compressor is transmitted to the elastic member and the transmitted vibration is attenuated by the elastic member and transmitted to the base and the stand. The transmitted vibration is transmitted to the whole refrigerator.
On the other hand, the upper portion of the elastic member is coupled compressed and weighted so as to be forcedly attached to the stopper. Otherwise, the stopper and the elastic member is spaced from each other due to the compression of the elastic member caused by the compressor weight caused when the compressor is mounted on the elastic member and the compression caused when vibration is caused according to the operation of the compressor. So, the stopper is vibrated.
However, the compression weight compresses and deforms the elastic member so that the vibration absorption performance of the elastic member is deteriorated.